Electbic switch



May 11 1926.

F. P. GATES ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed Jan. 16, 1924 May ii, i926,

iMMTED @pFifiE.

FEEDERIC P. GATES, OF "WEST HARTFORD. GONNEGTEGUI, ASSILGNOR TO II-IEFULLER- GATES COMPANY, OF HARTFORD, GGIll TllC A CQREOBATIGN OFCGNNECTICUT.

ELECTRIC SWITCI'I.

Application filed January 16, 192%.

My invention relates to the class of devices employed for making andbreaking an electric current and more especially to that type of suchdevices known as snap switches, and an object of my invention, amongothers, is to provide a device of this class that shall be simple inconstruction and particularly efficient in operation.

One form of switch embodying my invention and in the construction anduse of which the objects herein set out, as well as others, may beattained, is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in WhlCl1--Figure 1. is a view in centralsection on a plane passing through theaxis of the spindle.

Figure 2 is a view in section on a plane denoted by the dotted line 2-2of Figure 1.

- Figure 3 is a view on a plane denoted by .the dotted line 33 of Figure1.

Figure 1 is a view similar to Figure 3 and illustrating in connectiontherewith the operation. of the device.

Figure 5 is a detail view of the parts making up the controllingmechanism, said parts being separated to illustrate their relativepositions.

In the accompanying drawings the numeral 6 indicates the base of myimproved switch that is usually constructed of porcelain or otherinsulating material, said base having switch terminal supports 7 securedthereto in any suitable manner and provided with switch terminals 8 toreceive switch blades 9, all of which parts may be of any well knownconstruction and which are secured in place in any suitable manner. Aspindle 10 is also rotatably mounted in the base and rises therefrom,being secured in any suitable manner.

A switch unit 11 is secured to the spindle to rotate therewith, thisunit, as to the means for securing the switch blades 9 and forinsulating them, being of any suitable and well known construction. Aspring holding finger 12 is secured to the switch unit and risestherefrom, and a spring tensioning finger 13 is secured to the spindlein a manner to be hereinafter described, said fingers being locatedbetween the projecting ends of a tensioning spring 14; and cooperatingto place said spring under tension in a manner that will be'readilyunderstood.

In carrying out my invention 1 provide a stop plate 15 that is securedto the under Serial No. 686,645.

side of the switch unit, said plate having a segment 16, the ends ofwhich provide stop shoulders 1718 to be received against detents forminga part of the controlling mechanism now to be described.

This controlling mechanism is located in a recess 19 in the upper partof the base and it comprises guide plates 2021 that are suitably spacedapart and through which plates the spindle 10 extends. The plate 21 hasspacers 22 formed by bending the ends of radially extending arms 23 atan angle to the plane of said plate, and this plate is secured to theplate 20 as by means of interengaging projections and notches on theends of the spacers 22 and radially extending arms 24 on the plate 20.Said arms on bot-h plates have guide slots 2526 within which detents 2?are located for reciprocating movement, as shown in Figure 1 of thedrawings. Each detent has a tooth 28 to receive a shoulder 17 or 18, ashereinbefore described, and each detenthas also a notch to receive anactuating cam 29 that is formed as a flange on a cam plate 30, saidplate having a cen tral hole of partially angular shape to receive anangularly shaped or flattened portion of the spindle 10, and as shown inFigure 8 of the drawings. When the plates 20 and 21 are secured togetherwith the actuating cam plate and detents between them the upper andlower edges of the detents are located squarely against the facingsurfaces of the stop plate and cam plate and cramping action in thesliding movements of the detents is prevented, and a controller unit isformed located directly under the switch unit 11.

The cam 29 is so formed that when rotated in either direction the detentthat is thereby placed in the path of movement of one of the shoulders17 or 18 will be moved, as to its teeth 28, into such path prior to thetime that the detent that is then functioning as a holding detent ismoved from engagement with a shoulder 17 or 18. This operation isclearly illustrated in Figures 3 and 4 of the drawings from which itwill be noted that the cam comprises two concentric portions (0 and b,the portion a being of less radius than the portion 6. These concentricportions are united by cam portions 0 and (Z. If force be applied to thespindle 10 to move it in a clockwisedirection, and as indicated by thearrow in Figure 3, the holding detent at the upper side of the structurewill remain stationary owing to its engagement with the concentricportion a of the cam and until after the cam portion (Z has engaged thedetent at the right of the structure and moved it radially inward sothat its tooth 28 will be in the path of movement of the shoulder 18.Just after the detent has been so placed the cam 0, in the continuedrotation of the spindle, and consequently'of the cam, will engage thedetent at the upper side of the structure and move it radially outwardto disengage its tooth from the shoulder18, and the switch unit beingthus released will be quickly and forcibly moved from the position shownin Figure 3 to the position shown in Figure 4, this under the force ofthe spring 14, and in a manner that will be readily understood, therotation of the spindle moving the finger 13 away from the finger 12While the latter is held by the switch unit, this'movement of the finger13 also moving-one end of the spring from the other end thereof and thusplacing said spring un der tension.

In the operation just described the parts are rotated more than ninetydegrees and when the force exerted upon the spindle to 'efl ect suchrotation released the spring will relax, its ends will move together,and a reverse movement will thereby be imparted to the cam 29 to itsposition of rest,

the not degree of movement 01 the cam at each operation beingsubstantially ninety degrees.

In addition to the structure herein above described my invention alsocontemplates an improved support for the tension spring 14, this'supportcomprising a two-part sleeve through which the spindle 10 extends, thelower part 31 of which sleeve is secured as by riveting to a lingersupporting plate 32 firmly secured to the top plate of the switch unit,said sleeve member having a shoulder resting upon the plate32, as shownin Figure 1 of the drawings. The upper member 33 of said supportingsleeve has a hole to lit the flattened; upper part of the spindle, andthis member is secured to the base 3-1 of the linger '13, as byriveting, and as shown in Figure 1. Both of the sleeve members 31 andhave flanges between which the spring ll is supported, and a thumb piece85 is movably and rcmovably secured to the spindle 10 in any suitableand desired manner.

I claim I 1. A. switchspindle, means carried by said spindle forconducting an electric current, a two-part sleeve mounted on saidspindle, a spring mounted on said sleeve, a holding plate secured to oneof said sleeve'parts and having a holding finger projecting therefrom,atension'ing plat-e secured to the other of said" sleeve parts and 3having a tension-- ing linger projecting therefrom, said lingersengaging opposite ends of said spring, and a knob loosely mounted onsaid spindle and engaged, with said tcnsioning finger.

An electric switch comprising switch blades and terminals therefor, aspindle operatively connected vith said switch blades, and means foroperating said spindle, a s op plate connected with said spindle to beoperated thereby, a stop shoulder on said plate, a pair of guide plateshaving alined slots therein, angle spacers on one plate having aninterlocking connection with the other plate, a. detentslidablysupportedon one plate and extending into a slot of the other plate, a projectionon the detent extending into a slot of the supporting plate,

a detent tooth projecting through'the slotof the other plate to engagesaid stop shoulder and a cam plate secured 'to'said spindle between saidguideplates, a facial cam fian e aro'ectin at ri ht an les from 23 23 Da the cam plate and said detent being notched to receive the cam flange.

0. An electric switch comprising switch blades and terminals therefor, aspindle operatively connected with said switch blades, means toroperating said sp1ndle,"a

stop plate connected with said spindle to beoperated thereby, a stopshoulder on said plate, a pair of guide plates having alined' slotstherein, angle spacers on one plate having an interlocking connectionwith the other plate, a detent slidably supported on one plate andextending into'a slot of the other plate, a projection on the detentextending into a slot of the supporting plate,"

a detent tooth projecting through the slot or the other plate to engagesaid'stop shoulder and a cam plate secured to said spindle between saidguide plates, a facial cam flange projecting at right angles from thecam plate am said detent being notched to receive the cam flange, saiddetent being freely disposed and having an interlocking engagement withthe cam plate to'be positively moved in opposite directions.

1-. An electric switch comprising switch blades and terminals therefor,a spindle operatively connected with said switch blades, means foroperating said spindle, a stop plate connected with said spindle, to beoperated thereby, a stop shoulder on said plate, a pair of guide plateshavlng alined" slots therein, angle spacerson one plate-hav ing aninterlocking connected with the other plate, a detent "slidablysupported on one plate, and extending into a slot otthe other plate,aprojection on the detent extending into a slot of the supporting plate,a; detent N tooth projecting through the slot of the other plate toengage said step shoulderand' a cam plate secured to said spindlebetween said guide plates, having a. cam operatively engaged withsaid'deteiit, saiddetent being resaeee freely disposed and having aninterlocking engagement with the cam plate to he positively moved inopposite directions, and said detent reciprocating in a plane parallelwith the guide plates and maintaining constant relations thereto.

5. An electric switch comprising switch blades and terminals therefor, aspindle operatively connected with said switch blades, means foroperating said spindle, a stop plate connected with said spindle to beoperated thereby, a stop shoulder on said plate, a pair of guide plateshaving alinecl slots therein, angle spacers on one plate having aninterlocking connection with the other plate, a detent slidablysupported on one plate and extending into a slot of the other plate, aprojection 011 the detent extending into a slot of the supporting plate,a detent tooth projecting thronph the slot of the other plate to engagesaid stop shoulder, and a earn plate secured to said spindle betweensaid guide plates, a facial cain flange projecting at right angles fromthe cam plate and said detent being notched to receive the cam flange,said detent being freely disposed and having an interlocking engagenientwith the cam plate to be positively HTOVQCl in opposite directions, andsaid detent reciprocating in a. plane parallel with the guide plates andmaintaining constant relations thereto.

FREDERIC P. GATES.

